Our Journey Begins...

1) Fort Canning Centre

In 1926, Fort Canning Centre served as the barracks for the British Army. It was subsequently used by the Singapore Armed Forces in the 1970s. Today, the centre consists of the NParks Visitor Centre, theatre facilities and function rooms which cater to different event purposes. The lawn in front of the building is also a popular venue for various concerts and music festivals.








2) 9-Pound Cannon

The 9-Pound Cannon dates back to the early 19^th century, and was used more for decorating purposes and fortification uses in its early days. The cannon was fired three times a day at 5 a.m., 1 p.m., and 9 p.m. to announce the hour. The guns were mounted on carriages that could be pivoted to enable the guns to cover a wide arc of fire.





3) Singapore's First Experimental & Botanical Garden

The garden was the brainchild of Nathaniel Wallich, the then superintendent of the Royal Gardens at Calcutta in 1815. At that time, spices were invaluable to a point where there was a fight for control over the sources and routes to the Spice Islands of Southeast Asia and India. In order to resolve this issue, spices which included nutmegs, cloves, lemongrass, tumeric, laksa leaves and many types of limes and gingers were planted at the garden. These spices served as important economic products for Singapore and the region.






4) Old Townscape

During our visit to this particular spot, the views were blocked by the trees and we could only get glimpses of the National Archives of Singapore and portions of the Singapore Management University. Things would be different if we were to stand at this point in the 1870s. We would be able to see the Roman Catholic Cathedral, as well as the old Convict Lines and the Straits Hotel.



5) Ear-Pod Tree

The pods of the tree resembles a spreading crown, with its ear-shaped pods containing a sugary pulp used as fodder feed. The name arises due to the shape of the pods. It originated from Central America and has been classified as a Heritage Tree in Singapore. The Heritage Trees Scheme was introduced in 17 Aug 2001 with the objective of promoting conservation of such mature trees locally.